First Connecticut Lake Fishing Guide, Coos County, New Hampshire

• Overview

  First Connecticut Lake is a Coos County water, New Hampshire side. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. With about 18 miles of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. Size puts it in the front rank of our Coos County list. The nearest place of any size is Colebrook, 17 miles away. Coaticook follows at 25 miles, then Cookshire at 28 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on First Connecticut Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Reported across Coos County: rainbow trout, brown trout, rainbow smelt, Atlantic salmon and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of First Connecticut Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 10°F to 63°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to First Connecticut Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. The nearest recorded ramp is First Connecticut Lake Picnic and Launch Area Ramp, half a mile out. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Mud Pond at 1.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Where First Connecticut Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.